Aintree Tips on April 12th - Grand National Festival Day 2 Tips
Exciting details regarding the second day of the Aintree Grand National Festival with insights into key races and leading horses to watch. Expert predictions include Giovinco for Mildmay Novices' Chase, Making Headway for Handicap Hurdle, Firefox for Top Novices' Hurdle and Kandoo Kid for Topham Chase.
- Free tips on day two of the Grand National Festival
- Four more Grade One races will be run at Aintree on Friday 12th April
- Firefox, Kandoo Kid and Luttrell Lad feature in our day two tips
- Aintree Tips - Friday 12th April
- 1:45pm Aintree - Mildmay Novices' Chase Tips
- 2:20pm Aintree - Handicap Hurdle Tips
- 2:55pm Aintree - Top Novices' Hurdle Tips
- 3:30pm Aintree - Melling Chase Tips
- 4:05pm Aintree - Topham Chase Tips
- 4:40pm Aintree - Sefton Novices' Hurdle Tips
- 5:15pm Aintree - Alder Hey Handicap Hurdle Tips
Day 2 Tips
Free tips for Aintree on Friday, as the 2024 Grand National Festival rolls into its second race.
Four more Grade One races feature on Friday's card at Aintree, along with two competitive handicap hurdles and the Topham Chase over the Grand National fences. Here are my best betting tips on day two of the Grand National meeting.
Aintree Tips - Friday 12th April
1:45pm Aintree - Mildmay Novices' Chase Tips
Can someone explain to me why GIOVINCO (9/1) is the outsider of the field for Friday's opener?
Lucinda Russell's star bounced back to form with a cracking run behind Fact To File at Cheltenham, where he was only beaten six lengths by a horse many believe will win next season's Gold Cup. Giovinco has winning form here at Aintree, a track that Lucinda Russell's horses seem to love, and his record on soft ground is extremely good.
Inothewayurthinkin was handed a vastly exaggerated rating of 158 for winning a Kim Muir that fell apart. Chianti Classico, Heart Wood and Broadway Boy are yet to do anything at Graded level. I love Iroko, but unlike Giovinco, he has something to prove over this distance.
2:20pm Aintree - Handicap Hurdle Tips
With cheek-pieces applied over this longer trip, I think MAKING HEADWAY (8/1) has a fantastic chance off bottom weight. Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero's novice got outpaced at a crucial stage in the Imperial Cup, but stuck to his guns well and hit the line hard back in fourth.
The handicapper dropped Making Headway's mark by a pound for that effort. Henry Brooke's mount is two-from-two on testing ground and gained valuable experience of the track here at Aintree when fourth in the Grade One Formby Novices' Hurdle back in December.
I wouldn't give up on SONIGINO (25/1), who never seemed happy during the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham. Paul Nicholls' seven-year-old hacked up on heavy ground over this course-and-distance in December and Freddie Gingell takes five valuable pounds off Sonigino's back. He'll be my second selection at 25/1.
2:55pm Aintree - Top Novices' Hurdle Tips
I backed FIREFOX (7/2) to win the Supreme Novices' Hurdle back in December and was still confident my selection would run well on day one of the Cheltenham Festival. Gordon Elliott's star was just making his move at the bottom of the hill when he met with interference and Jack Kennedy's mount almost fell. Firefox managed to gather himself up just before the last and a late thrust saw him snatch third place.
I'm sure Elliott's star will be seen to best effect over further as a novice chaser next season. However, on the back of that excellent effort at Cheltenham - given the circumstances - I'm happy to keep Firefox on-side, and the long run-in here at Aintree should really suit.
3:30pm Aintree - Melling Chase Tips
Read our full guide to the 2024 Melling Chase to find out who we're backing in Friday's feature at Aintree.
Visit our Melling Chase Live Stream page if you plan on watching any of Friday's races from Aintree via a mobile device.
4:05pm Aintree - Topham Chase Tips
I had planned on taking the same approach to the Topham as I did with the Hunters' Chase yesterday, and that's to back two proven mudlarks at lengthy prices. However, no-one appealed to me in the bottom half of the betting, so I'm left looking towards the more fancied runners.
The most interesting entrant for me is KANDOO KID (12/1), who should relish the track at Aintree. Paul Nicholls' novice has been running to a good level at Newbury this season and proved he could handle heavy ground when second to Heltenham last month.
Heltenham went in again off a six-pound higher mark next time out, so the handicapper's decision to only up Kandoo Kid's mark by two pounds seems lenient. Harry Cobden's mount will shoulder just 11-1 in this open renewal of the Topham. At 12/1, he represents each-way value.
4:40pm Aintree - Sefton Novices' Hurdle Tips
Having tipped the 1-2 in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham, where Stellar Story beat The Jukebox Man, some might mistakingly presume that three-mile novice hurdles are my forte. The truth is, I only ever back outsiders in the Bartlett and I was incredibly fortunate to see both of my selections contend.
I won't be having a bet in this race, as I don't fancy any of the outsiders and those at short prices offer little value.
5:15pm Aintree - Alder Hey Handicap Hurdle Tips
There have been upsets aplenty in this handicap down the years, so I have no interest in backing anyone near the head of the market. I quite fancy the chances of LUTTRELL LAD (16/1), whose run well in defeat on all three of his starts in handicap hurdles this season.
Most of Luttrell Lad's appearances have come on good ground. On the three occasions he has encountered genuinely soft going, Tom Lacey's eight-year-old has won a bumper by three lengths, finished a very close eighth in a County Hurdle and hacked up in a handicap at Cartmel back in July. Luttrell Lad is running off a workable mark of 129 and Cameron Isles - who has struck with 30% of his rides over hurdles this season - is very good value for his seven-pound claimer.
Verdict
Grand National Festival Day 2 Top Tips:
Firefox
2:55pm Aintree
@7/2 - 10 Units
Bet £10 Get £30
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Making Headway E/W
2:20pm Aintree
@8/1 - 5 Units
£30 Free Bet
Use promo code NEWBONUS
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Giovinco E/W
1:45pm Aintree
@9/1 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £40
in free bets
18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. 18+. T&Cs apply.
Kandoo Kid E/W
4:05pm Aintree
@12/1 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £40
in free bets
18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. 18+. T&Cs apply.
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